La Terrasse at Cheval Blanc St-Tropez – Donckele's starred lunch

Under the umbrella pines of Cheval Blanc St-Tropez, a few steps from three-star La Vague d'Or, Arnaud Donckele's team serves a one-star Provençal lunch facing the bay.

Cheval Blanc St-Tropez, the LVMH palace on the Plage de la Bouillabaisse just west of the old port, is best known for La Vague d'Or, Arnaud Donckele's three-star dinner restaurant. But the house has a second starred table: La Terrasse, its lunchtime restaurant under the umbrella pines, which the 2026 MICHELIN Guide lists with one star in its own right.

This is what to expect: the terrace, the kitchen and the menu, the Wednesday evenings and what to know before you book.

01Lunch under the pines

The hotel opened in 1936 as La Résidence de la Pinède and reopened as Cheval Blanc St-Tropez in 2019. La Terrasse sits in the shade of its pines, looking over the beach and the Bay of Saint-Tropez, with cream parasols over around 90 seats, 50 of them outdoors, according to Saint-Tropez Tourisme. The day starts there with a breakfast presented by the chef; at noon the restaurant turns to a Provençal lunch that the hotel describes as relaxed.

02Arnaud Donckele's second star in the house

The MICHELIN Guide credits the cooking to Arnaud Donckele and his team, the same brigade that runs La Vague d'Or, and calls it Mediterranean with Provençal influences. The inspectors praise premium ingredients handled with finesse and rigour, and single out a porcini tarte fine, a lobster tail grilled in its shell with a sabayon of lobster coral, and a rabbit pie with sweetbreads and foie gras. They also note an outstanding, wide-ranging wine list.

Insider tip

Lunch only, in season; Wednesday evening Soirées Riviera. Reopens 6 May 2027.

03The Sous les Pins menu

Lunch is built around the Sous les Pins menu at €190, with a choice at each course. The menu published by the hotel opens with a tableau of tomatoes from Grimaud, a tarte fine in the spirit of a pissaladière, gamberoni in several textures or ravioli of Mediterranean spiny lobster in a verbena-scented broth. Main courses include saddle of rabbit cooked the Provençal way, the day's catch grilled with olive oil from the hinterland, rock red mullet from the gulf, Provençal octopus stew with a potato gratin in the manner of Jean Giono, and the grilled lobster tail with coral sabayon.

Desserts are equally local: strawberries in fine layers with lime and basil, an iced raspberry nougat with rose from Grasse, or lemon with Sicilian pistachio. A longer à la carte list – Corsican and Iberian ham, beef tartare prepared at the table, caviar – is reserved for hotel guests.

04Soirées Riviera

On Wednesday evenings La Terrasse stays open for the Soirées Riviera, with live music and traditional Provençal cooking served to share, bouillabaisse among it. Saint-Tropez Tourisme gives the price as €205.

05Season, hours and booking

Cheval Blanc St-Tropez is a seasonal hotel, closed in winter; its website announces the reopening for 6 May 2027. In season, the MICHELIN Guide lists lunch every day from 12.30 to 14.30. Reservations are handled by the hotel directly, by telephone or by email. There is valet parking, and the restaurant is accessible to wheelchair users.

For a weekend. For a lifetime.